On Saturday June 13 we played in the club Country Rock in the Rue Multipliants in downtown Montpellier. The gig was arranged by our good friend Ilene Gex, mandolin player and lead singer of the Montpellier area band The
Dustbowl Darlings.
Though small, the Country Rock, is known for concerts in the Americana, Country, and Folk genres. The owner, Fred, is a former musician, and the walls of the club are decorated with American music memorobilia, mostly Country, including some pretty nice guitars. The Rue Multipliants is very narrow, too small for anything but pedestrian traffic, or at most scooters.
The outdoor tables appear to be right out in the "street", but since there are no cars it's no problem.
After parking in an underground ramp a few blocks away, we got a little bit lost trying to find the venue in the maze of little streets. Eventually, Max screwed up his courage to try speaking some French and tried to ask directions of a guy standing outside an urban fruit market. Just as he was pretty much making a fool of himself he heard a bright little voice behind him asking IN ENGLISH if she could be of any assistance. The young lady turned out to be a student from Lebanon, and her English was perfect. Her nearby friend turned out to be from Ireland. These two nice folks basically walked us right to the club. Talk about luck!
Though this gig had been arranged pretty much at the last minute, we played a couple of sets to an almost full house of diners and and partiers. They seemed to like us. Even the watress bought two CDs. Fred and his son Mike who was tending bar and managing the place (Fred and Mike? gotta wonder if they're Frederic and Michel.) were well pleased. Mike was impressed with the original material, saying that the French acts that play there pretty much play the same repertoir of American hits and standards.
Fred said that next time we're in the area he'd love to have us back. Sounds good to us!
Though small, the Country Rock, is known for concerts in the Americana, Country, and Folk genres. The owner, Fred, is a former musician, and the walls of the club are decorated with American music memorobilia, mostly Country, including some pretty nice guitars. The Rue Multipliants is very narrow, too small for anything but pedestrian traffic, or at most scooters.
The outdoor tables appear to be right out in the "street", but since there are no cars it's no problem.
After parking in an underground ramp a few blocks away, we got a little bit lost trying to find the venue in the maze of little streets. Eventually, Max screwed up his courage to try speaking some French and tried to ask directions of a guy standing outside an urban fruit market. Just as he was pretty much making a fool of himself he heard a bright little voice behind him asking IN ENGLISH if she could be of any assistance. The young lady turned out to be a student from Lebanon, and her English was perfect. Her nearby friend turned out to be from Ireland. These two nice folks basically walked us right to the club. Talk about luck!
Though this gig had been arranged pretty much at the last minute, we played a couple of sets to an almost full house of diners and and partiers. They seemed to like us. Even the watress bought two CDs. Fred and his son Mike who was tending bar and managing the place (Fred and Mike? gotta wonder if they're Frederic and Michel.) were well pleased. Mike was impressed with the original material, saying that the French acts that play there pretty much play the same repertoir of American hits and standards. 
Fred said that next time we're in the area he'd love to have us back. Sounds good to us!
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